Roundabout



F. H. DICKSON ET AL ROUNDABOUT Filed Dec. 1926 2 Sheds-Sheet 1 Oct. 30,1928.

F. H. DICKSON ET AL ROUNDABOU'I Filed 'Dec. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented Oct. 30, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK H. DICKSON, FRANCIS F. DICKSON, AND ADRIAN J. DIOKSON, OF AUBURN,

NEW YORK.

ROUNDABOU'I.

Application filed December 3, 1926. Serial No. 152,469.

This invention relates to that class of teeterboards or seesaws in whichthe teeter-board or beam is mounted to rotate about as well as rock onits support, and the objects are to provide a simple and efficientsupport which will permit the teeter-boardto be easily adjusted to carrychildren differing in weight, to provide a support which may be foldedinto a small compass when not in use and yet will not collapse when inuse, and to provide means whereby the end of the beam will be caused toglide when it strikes the ground instead of coming to a. sudden stop.These stated objects and other objects which will hereinafter appear areattained in such a structure as is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing, and the invention resides in certain novel features which willbe particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an apparatus embodyingthe invention,

Figure 2 is a side elevation on a larger scale of the upper part of thesupport,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the tripod head,

Figure 1 is an enlarged section of the socket member in. which the pivotpost engages,

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 4, g

Figure 6 is a plan view of the socket member,

Figure 7 is a detail of the end of the beam or teeter-board,

Figure 8 is a detail showing a modification.

The apparatus consists of a beam or teeterboard 1 and a tripod on whichthe beam is mounted, the beam being equipped at its ends with seats 3and gripping posts or handles 4. The tripod comprises legs 5 and a head6 to which the legs are attached. The head is a single integral castinghaving a central post 7 of circular sectional contour and taperingupwardly to its semi-spherical terminal as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, andthree arms 9 radiating from the lower end of the post, said arms beingsubstantially triangular in form and each provided on one side near itsouter corner with a lateral stop lug 10 and, on the same side, at itsupper corner with a shoulder 11 which will overhang the upper end of theattached leg. The legs are pivoted to the sides of the respective arms,as at 12, and bear upwardly directly against the stop lugs and theshoulders when in use so as to carry the weight of the apparatus and itsriders. When not in use, the legs may be swung upon their respectivepivots to bear fiat against the vertical side of the next adjacent armso that their lower ends will be brought close together, the outwardlyswinging upper corners of the legs being accommodated in the spaces 13between the corresponding stop lugs and shoulders. Braces 50 arepreferably provided to insure against spreading of the legs when in use,each leg being provided with an eye 51 in which a brace is hung and eachbrace having a hook 51 at its free end toengage 1n the eye on anotherleg. There is thus pro vided a brace on each side of the tripod.

The tapered pin or post 7 extends into a central longitudinal slot inthe teeter-board and engages in a socket member or saddle 14 therein.Said socket member is a casting having the general form of an arch, thesides and crown of which are channeled, as indicated. at 15, with theends rising from an anchoring base plate 16 having a centrallongitudinal slot 17 to accommodate the post 7 and provided withopenings 18 at proper points through which securing devices may beinserted into the beam or board 1. The socket member fits within thelongitudinal slot of the board orbeam and the anchoring base plate bearsagainst the under side of the board, as will be understood, at the sidesof the slot, while in the under side of the crown portion of the memberis a longitudinal series of depressions or sockets 181 any one of whichmaybe engaged over the post 7. YVhen a socket 181 is engaged upon thepost, the beam or board may rock upon the post and also swing about thesame, and by selectively engaging the sockets upon the post the boardwill be so adjusted as to compensate for the unequal weights of theriders seated on its opposite ends. Bolts 100 may be inserted throughthe beam transversely in position to bear against the ends of the saddleand aid in maintaining the saddle and the beam in fixed relation. Itwill be noted that the post does not project through the saddle but ishoused in the saddle which rests on the extreme upper end of the postwithout being secured thereto, the saddle being, in turn, housed in thebeam. The saddle is protected from damage by chance blows and theapparatus is given a very neat appearance. To dismantle the apparatus,it is necessary merely to lift the board from the post and it may bereturned to position just as easily;

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At each end of the teeter-board or beam is secured a transverse plate 19provided with an outwardly projecting stud 20 upon which is journaled aroller or rolling shoe 21, the diameter of the roller being such thatthe periphery thereof will project somewhat below the bottom of thebeam. The roller may be retained upon the stud 20 by any convenientmeans and it may be described as trus toconoidal in form, the peripherybeing thereby disposed so as to avoid the presentation of any angle orsharp edge to the ground. When the end of the teeter-board strikes theground, the impact will cause rotation of the roller with a resultantgliding of the board laterally instead of bringing the board to a suddenstop with its attendant risk of dislodging a child seated on the end ofthe board. Possible injury to the users of the apparatus is thusavoided.

Instead of the rolling shoe 21, the runner or sliding shoe 200 may beused.

Having fully described our invention, what We claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is

A roundabout comprising a support, a conodial pivot post rising from thesupport and having a semispherical upper end, a teeterboard providedwith a longitudinal slot receiving the pivot post, and a saddle securedto the teeter-board and housed within the slot therein over the post,said saddle being in the form of an arch internally channeled andprovided in the under side of its crown with a longitudinal series ofsockets selectively engageable over the top of the post, the post beinghoused in the saddle.

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification.

FRANK H. DICKSON. FRANCIS F. DIGKSON. ADRIAN J. DICKSON.

